The Fine Line Between Legends And Lies

Chapter 2:

A/N: Thank you so much for my review! Will gets Jack and Elizabeth back onboard the Dauntless and begins to notice the awkwardness between them. Will he try to find out what is going on between his beloved and the rascal pirate?

The boat ride back to the Dauntless was awkward and deathly silent. Will had been really the only one who was trying to make some kind of conversation. Elizabeth had barely tried to participate in the small talk, only answering in one word sentences and then staring out to sea as if she couldn’t be bothered. Jack on the other hand had tried to keep up conversation with Will but found that he had trouble looking the young man directly in his eyes. He supposed that was because just a short time ago he had shared the most intimate of experiences with the said young man’s beloved Elizabeth.

Chancing a glance over at the young woman Jack’s eyes came into contact with her soft chocolate brown eyes and the two quickly looked away as if they had seen something unpleasant. Will did not fail to notice the strange exchange between the pirate and his beautiful Elizabeth but decided not to mention it just yet. Once onboard the Dauntless Elizabeth scurried into the captain’s quarters and found some navy blue breeches and a cream colored taffeta shirt. She quickly changed out of her under dress and put on the men’s clothes along with a pair of boots she had found in the cabin. The boots were just slightly a bit too large for her but it beat going barefoot.

Once fully dressed Elizabeth exited the cabin to find Jack at the back of the ship. She ran over to him before anyone had taken notice of her. “Jack?”

“Hmm?”

“What are we going to do?”

“Bout what love?”

“About what happened on the island?”

“Oh yes, that.”

“Yes that! Will can’t find out Jack, it’ll break his heart.”

“Well then I guess ye better get used t’ the idea of learning how t’ be a good liar.”

“A good liar?”

“That’s right love, but I don’t even a good lie will help if ye turn up pregnant.”

“Jack that can’t happen!”

“Oh believe me darling, it most certainly can happen.” Just as she was about to say something else Will approached the two of them and they both quickly fell silent.

“I’ve been looking all over for you Elizabeth.”

“You have? Why?”

“I was worried about you. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just tired that’s all.”

“Well then let’s get you to bed in the captain’s quarters so you can rest.” She nodded and tossed a glance over her shoulder at Jack. “Thanks for taking such good care of her Jack.”

“Yer welcome mate. My pleasure really.” Elizabeth glared daggers at him as she allowed Will to lead her towards the captain’s quarters. Jack flashed a broad gold toothed grin at her making her scowl even more. Once in the cabin Will closed the door behind them.

“Elizabeth are you sure you’re alright?”

“Uh huh. Just fine, just like I said.” He eyed her curiously as she pulled back the quilt on the bed and climbed underneath it. She really didn’t want to have this discussion with him right now. So she feigned being exhausted to make him hurry up and leave her to her thoughts.

Her chocolate brown eyes darted around the room restlessly as Jack’s words echoed in her head. What if she was pregnant? How would she know? Surely she couldn’t end up pregnant just by having lain with Jack just that one time. Could she? Elizabeth was starting to get a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach that did absolutely nothing to calm her nerves. In fact it did the opposite and made her even more nervous about how her latest impulsive decision was going to most likely get her into trouble. Looking up at the ceiling of the room she decided now was as good a time as any to start getting better acquainted with God. “Okay…God, I’m sure you know that I don’t really take much time to talk to you on a regular basis. But I really need your help now. I think I may have done something that might make me lose Will forever. Please hear me, I need your help.”

After she was certain that she had made a heartfelt plea for help she tried to force herself to sleep. It seemed like an eternity went by before she was able to lull herself into a very uneasy slumber. On deck Jack was still perched at the railing at the back of the ship. Will came back to join him. He had tried his best to ignore the strange awkward silence that had befallen Jack and Elizabeth but he just couldn’t seem to let it go. Something was wrong and he wanted to know just what the hell it was. “Have a word with you Jack?”

“Certainly Mr. Turner. What can I do for ye?”

“You can start by telling me why you and Elizabeth aren’t speaking to each other.”

“Oh well I suppose after spending a good amount of time stuck on an island together that we simply just don’t have anything t’ say t’ each other right now.”

“No that’s not it. Something’s different in the way you two act around each other. You can’t even make eye contact. So how about telling me the truth Jack?”

“Who says I didn’t just tell ye the truth?”

“Come on Jack, I’m not stupid.”

Sighing heavily Jack looked down at his boots before answering. “William I really think that ye best ask yer lass about our time on the island.”

“That’s it then? You’re just refusing to answer me?”

“It’s up t’ the girl t’ decide if she wants t’ tell ye about anything that may or may not have happened on the island.” With that Jack swaggered below decks to find a hammock to lay in and get some much needed sleep. Will went back into the captain’s quarters and curled up on the couch that was against the wall by the door. He would find out what had happened between her and Jack on the island if it killed him. And it would happen the very first thing in the morning. He squeezed his brown eyes shut and forced himself to sleep.

Dawn filtered in through the cabin windows much quicker than Elizabeth had desired it to. She wrinkled her nose as she tried to keep her eyes shut. But they soon opened making her groan in protest. Will heard her groan and opened his eyes to look over at her. Seeing that she was sitting up to stretch he sat up on the couch he had slept on for a few short hours. “Good morning Elizabeth.” His voice startled her.

“Oh Will, I uh didn’t realize you were in here.”

“Yes I slept on the couch. How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” He frowned as he recognized the same one worded response he had gotten from her last night.

“Elizabeth we need to talk.”

“About?”

“About whatever happened on the island with you and Jack.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I know something happened Elizabeth.”

Her brown eyes widened in fear. How could he know? She hadn’t told him and she was sure that Jack wouldn’t tell him. Would he? “What did he tell you?”

“I knew it! Something did happen on the island with you and Jack! Did he touch you Elizabeth?” Her eyes fell to the floor sharply. “What did he do to you?”

“N-nothing. Will-

“No Elizabeth, don’t lie for him! He’s a pirate, he can’t be trusted! Now if he’s done something to you then tell me. Your father is the governor and will have Jack Sparrow hanged for his crimes.”

“No! Will, nothing happened! Just leave it!” Her sharp tone of voice made him look at her with a confused expression etched across his handsome face.

“Elizabeth what are you hiding from me? Are you protecting that pirate?”

“Will please just leave me alone.” Will marched over to the bed and grabbed Elizabeth by the shoulders roughly and shook her.

“No I won’t! Elizabeth tell me what that scoundrel has done to you!”

Tears sprung to her soft chocolate brown eyes as Will’s grip on her shoulders tightened. Blinking to try and force them away she only succeeded in making them spill onto her cheeks. A small whimper escaped her throat as the hot tears leaked onto her alabaster cheeks. “Let go you’re hurting me Will!”

“Then tell me what you’re trying to hide!”

Unable to keep the secret of what had transpired between herself and Jack on the island any longer Elizabeth started to sob. “Oh William I’m so sorry!”

“Sorry for what Elizabeth? What has he done? Did he hurt you?”

“N-not what he’s done, what we’ve done!”

“We?”

“Jack and I!” She let out a few more pitiful sounding sobs that made her shoulders shake underneath the palms of Will’s hands that were still resting on them. “I’m sorry Will…I thought we were going to die! Otherwise it would have never happened, I swear!”

“What would have never happened?”

“Jack and I…we…oh God. We made love!” The admittance of what had occurred between her and Jack made her begin sobbing even harder now that she had confessed her sins to Will. He let his hands drop from her shoulders and he stood abruptly his arms hanging loosely from his sides. Elizabeth looked up at him to see his face was white as a sheet. “Will, aren’t you going to say anything?” He shook his head and turned his back to her.

How could that have happened? How could his Elizabeth lay with a filthy rum swilling swindling pirate? She couldn’t, she wouldn’t. Unless the pirate had forced her to do so! His eyes grew wide and a scowl crept onto his face. That was it! The bastard had raped her! Drawing his sword Will headed towards the door to find the said pirate. Elizabeth jumped out of bed quickly on his heels. He found Jack at the back of the ship leaning over the railing looking out at the ocean. Brandishing his sword Will advanced quickly on the pirate with Elizabeth right behind him. Fearing Will wouldn’t give Jack a warning she hollered out. “Jack look out!”

The pirate quickly turned around and seeing a sword toting Will lunging at him stepped out of the way just in time to avoid being skewered. Jack grabbed his own sword and help it out defensively. Will glared back at Elizabeth for her words of warning to Jack. She had just betrayed him by warning the man that had robbed her of her virtue. “Get out of here Elizabeth!”

“No I won’t! Will please don’t kill him!”

“You’re asking me to spare this scoundrel’s life after he raped you?”

“After I what?”

“Will what are you talking about? Jack didn’t rape me.”

“Oh so now you’re going to lie and protect him too?”

“No Will, it’s not a lie and I’m not protecting Jack. He didn’t rape me.”

“I would never do that t’ any woman William.”

Scowling at Jack he finally lowered his sword and turned to face Elizabeth who looked at him with eyes filled with sorrow. “So you say he didn’t rape you?”

“Yes. Jack did nothing to hurt me.”

“Then you willingly laid with a known pirate?” She nodded feeling her chest tighten as tears welled up in her eyes. Looking back at Jack and then once more at Elizabeth Will sheathed his sword angrily. “I have to go.”

“Will.” She reached out to grab his hand but he jerked it away from her. “Will!” He ignored her cries as he walked past her. She looked at Jack tears starting to trickle down her cheeks as he sheathed his sword as well.

Will stopped just a short distance from where the two of them remained standing at the back of the ship and turned back to face them. He shouted angrily not caring who heard him. “The two of you make me sick!”

Jack walked over to where Elizabeth stood and tried to put his arms around her shoulders as she sobbed. At first she tried to push away from him but then she fell into his embrace and buried her face in his chest. Her sobs shook her entire body as she wept into his chest. Jack just stood there stroking her hair softly as he leaned down to whisper to her comfortingly. “Shh love, it’ll be alright, I promise.”

The two stood there for a long time in each other’s arms. Elizabeth had sobbed until she had gotten the hiccups and Jack had just stood there stroking her hair softly every so often whispering words of comfort to try and soothe her. She knew that there would be no turning back now. No, she had made a deliberate choice to give herself to a pirate. How could she expect Will to be anything but disgusted with her? She silently began to wonder if her father would turn his back on her as well once he found out that she had lain with a pirate. Deciding that she would worry about it when the time came Elizabeth remained at the back of the ship standing next to Jack in silence until the sun began to dip below the horizon. They would soon reach the Isla de Muerta and catch up to Barbossa and his crew of cursed pirates. Her little dilemma would undoubtedly have to wait to be resolved once they had thwarted whatever horrible scheme Barbossa had brewing in his head.